Its a long time before the GE and thats not a huge dip for it being the worse thing that could come out agaisnt Obama, now that its out there and over with we can move on... Well we could if the media didnt take Wrights words out of context and bring them up every freakin minute.

What's comical is doing a favorability poll on a guy when the only thing people know about him are some cherrypicked videoclips of his controversial statements.

It's not surprising that the number would be that high. I'm guessing the vast majority of those in the 56% are Republicans + Clinton supporters. The question doesn't specificy whether that's in the primary or general election, so it's a BS question.

Again, I don't see this as a permanent loss.

The timing is actually very good for Obama, it's far away from any actual vote that it will have negligible effects.

Yet his real poll numbers haven't shifted drastically. This kind of question is misleading. "Less likely" is a very broad classification. The question is whether it has caused people, in and of itself, to stop supporting Obama, and if so, how many. Imagine the following poll: "Yesterday Obama forgot to tip a waitress at a Scranton diner after grabbing a bite during a campaign stop. Does this make you more or less likely to vote for him?" Of course no one is going to say it makes them more likely to vote for him, and I suppose the natural answer is "less likely," but of course "Tipgate" is not going to sink his campaign, no matter what that poll says, is it?

Yes, temporary. As much as I would like to believe in the wisdom of the American people, they are - for the most part - sheep. Just wait til the next news cycle. And don't forget, this does much to debunk the Obama is a muslim smear so it's not all bad.

In the meantime, back where the rubber meets the road, Obama nets +10 in Iowa, picks up another super today and Pelosi makes her position pretty damn clear. Not a bad weekend...

All this glad handing on this site about how we're above racial politics, that religious litmus tests are anathema to the presidential office, ignores the reality of perception. This will be a huge problem for Obama, perhaps a crippling problem. This is the swiftboat for 2008 and I fear that it will be used with deadly efficiency.

Temporary blip. He's already reversing the trend if you look at all the other tracking polls. I actually thought it would be worse than this and for a lot longer. He's now incorporating the issue into his stump speeches, using it as a bridge to talk about race issues in general, which I think is a brilliant tact.

Pollster words question to get "newsworthy" results - news at 11!

Why are "liberal" bloggers continuing to flog this story?

This is of a piece with Michael Dukakis and the Pledge of Allegiance.

Why, Greg, are you playing Fox News on what was, I though, a progressive website?

Or have I missed all of your coverage of any pushback against the blatantly politicized, guilt-by-association smear?

Actually, I think you are reading the numbers completely wrong.

44% of Democrats, let us call that 18% of the electorate (assuming a 40-40-20'ish split D/R/I.)

Total is 56%. 38 percentage points of the rest of the electorate, split roughly 75/25 between Republican and Independent to be charitable.

So total 29 points Republican and 9 points of Independents.

24% of Republicans are NOT less likely to vote for Obama.

Methinks there might be some pushback on the Jeremiah Wright story. It is embarrassing to see the press and anti-Obama forces destroying this preacher's reputation over several cherry picked statements. Some people are saying that this preacher was highly respected, well educated and had done many positive things for the community. Smearing him has offended not only those in the UCC, but the entire black community.

The question isn't whether this is going to hurt Obama- it is whether this is going to hurt the Democratic Party. It has blown past when sending some people to a cultural awareness class would fix things. We have to start wondering if HRC would somehow get the superdelegates to think Obama is unelectable, if the AA community might just say to hell with the Democratic Party and refuse to vote in November.

"The poll also finds that Obama's favorability rating fell to 47%, down five points from last Thursday -- a drop that according to Rasmussen shows that the Wright story "has had at least a temporary impact on public perceptions of Obama," though it strikes me as a stretch to read this as being solely because of Wright."

Of course it does, Greg. Voters are probably just finally waking up to the fact that Hillary is by far the better candidate. Right, Greg?

I always appreciate your measured, non-biased reporting. Rare as it is...

Does Obama take his children to this church? Just curious ... put a fork in him.

Edwards is ready to give his voice to the matter.
Yeah I know what you Obamacrackheads will say....he ain't shit but to the people not on the Obamacrackpipe he means something...he means alot.

That Obamaham is about done.

The fact that Obama has fallen so far is despite the fact that Hillary has not touched this wright issue. Well, McCain will not be so kind. No one has as yet put up ads showing all the anti-American statements coupled with all the different ways Obama initially tried to play down the controversy. Oh, my church is not particularly controversial. Oh, he's like an uncle I sometimes disagree with. Oh, you guys are just cherry-picking stuff. His church talks about the media crucifying the church?! Wait till the general election starts and the swift-boaters start on it. Obama is finished, folks. Save your money and get out of the stock while you can. It's headed for a big crash.

Hey Josh, Drudge is on the phone. He says you're beating the scary black church story a little hard.

Just out of curiousity--where is HRC's moral compass, if any?

Obama and Clinton are BOTH very weak candidates. We need another choice---preferably one that is not in the pocket of the corporate intersts like these two are.

I don't see how you can make the argument that anyone with serious aspirations to be President is in fact "anti-American." Why would someone want to be in charge of something they hate? Do you think Morgan Spurlock wants to be CEO of McDonald's?

It's amazing that religion has played such a huge factor in this presidential cycle. They called Romney's religion racist and asked why he didn't denounce his religion's anti-black racism back in the day. Obama is getting very similar treatment for belonging to his church. Huckabee took some barbs for being a creationist. It is ironic in this so religious primary season that having a clear association with a particular church might be a handicap.

Paging Oprah. Paging Oprah.

I'm very interested to hear how she weighs in on this controversy. After all she is a member of the same church and we all know her reputation among white middle class American women as a racist, America hater who eats small children for breakfast. It will be interesting to see if she has the courage to speak up and explain to middle America just what that her and Obama's church is really all about.

Dear Mr. Weaver,

You are an idiot.

Sincerely,
The reality.
Posted by roo_P

Oh,shut up, you stupid moron...

Posted by brewmn61

Ha Ha Ha! "You are an idiot"! "Oh, shut up, You stupid moron"!

Yeah, Mr. Weaver - you better shut up or I will call you some terrible, terrible things, you know. Like, like you are an idiot, and, you are a moron. I might call my Mommy too. If you still don't shut up then I am gonna have to start crying. What will you do then, huh, Mr. Weaver? Ha Ha Ha. roo_P, brewmn61 - the Hope Brigade of Obama.

barak has staed that he goes to wright to make sure he stays true to himself on the political trail. he went to write fro his thought and support to run. he is his spiritual leader for god sake. i think mccain religious issues are a problem but mccain can easily get past this because their is no real relationship between him and hagee. baraks a different story. the fact that you peopl are defending this is very telling. this reads like a freeper board justifying bush'es shortcomings. to not realize after 20 years of knowing this man and bing a part of his family you honestly think he does not agree with many of his views? barak could have been friends with him but to raise your children and expose them weekly to this sort of anti american screed is unreal. he may know enough not to let it damge his outlook but to indoctrinate your kids to this hateful speech is terrible.

opra became a member in 1984....and left the church about 10 years ago .....rev wright blasted her in a sermon when she left

Wright is a USMC veteran.

LOL, my pastor says stuff like this all the time, but we are white and Lutheran so its all good. Which reiterate's Wright's points.

4,000 dead soldiers would like a rebuttal, dumbass.

Clinton Supporters,
I am a southern-baptist Sunday school teacher. I'm also a Democrat and an Obama supporter.

I am a member of my church because I believe they provide the soundest theological teachings for my family. But every Wednesday night (the hard-core Revelation study night), my preacher gives some version of his fire and brimstone, anti-Islam, anti-gay, anti-Democrat service and I walk away mad. But I stick with my church because while I disagree with the politics, it is still where I find the best theology and community (usually on Sunday Mornings and discipleship study). And because my relationships there extend way beyond political viewpoints. Kind of why I stay a Democrat even though I am at most ambivalent about legalized abortion - because I am not willing to renounce or accept a group based on single issues. And because change comes from the inside.

So, I am asking you all to give me specific reasons why I should believe that what Obama has written in his books, said in his speeches, done as a legislator, or proposed in his campaign platform, should make me believe that he is a racist or an empty suit? Keep in mind my background and that I don't in any way subscribe to guilt by association.

To further clarify - I have read both of Obama's books. I have studied his legislative record. I have read his campaign proposals. And I have heard many of his speeches. I have also read Hillary's book, Bill's book, studied her legislative record, listened to her speeches and studied her campaign proposals. And I've read tons of internet posts about the cult like thinking of the Obamaites and the Clitonistas - they do nothing to persuade me either way.

Thanks

That's it. Now TPM employs a Republican-based poll survey to beat a dead-horse non-issue all over again. I am so sick of seeing such cultural ignorance about black churches and their preaching style being used to smear Obama ... and TPM is helping their cause.

I'm done with TPM. I only started visiting here last year on the recommendation of Bill Moyers ... well, since then it's basicaly turned into pro-Hillary crap. No point in wasting any more of my time here.

Bye y'all.

re the timing of this gaffe: do you really think that this video won't be all over the media in the final two months of the general campaign ??? Get a life !

Interesting that he would take a "hit" in this rasmussen poll, yet the newly released CNN poll has him leading 52% to 45% in a poll taken March 14 thru 16.

I don't think this is going to have any lasting effect at all.

There's an upside to this for Obama: Perhaps by now Hillary, and I presume the media, are confident that Obama is not a Muslim.

Here's the message that's being sent out by Clinton, Media and Republicans: Obama's a Muslim with terrorist leanings, perhaps a Manchurian Muslim terrorist candidate, except for when he's a Christian follower of a radical Black Christian preacher. When the Rev Wright dust up is over, you can go back to thinking that Obama is a Muslim with terrorist leanings.

If you go back and, on paper, take out all chauvinistic remarks referencing 'Blacks' or 'Africans' or 'African Americans' and replace them with Jewish or Irish (my tribe), both long suffering people, the speech would hardly seem so provocative - but instead, just chauvinistic. Most people can identify with the long suffering of those two tribes and so are willing to be tolerant of over zealous chauvinistic expression coming from those quarters. Not so with Blacks. Some how our society is still afraid of a subversive movement by Blacks attempting to take over the plantation and put an end to western civilization in our hemisphere. To a certain extent then, those people who keep showing this episode over and over are showing a truly deep seated racism way down within.

Both the messages, Obama might be a Muslim, or Obama might be a radical Black Christian, have a common theme: it plays upon a fear of Black subversion. You have to have deep seated racism to pick up the message - but people are and do. Both Clinton and Republican's such as Bill Kristol are happy to play upon this. But in the end, it's all carbon fiber.

I know what Bill Kristol is afraid of: a charismatic liberal leader. To understand this fear compare Truman to Roosevelt. They both shared the same basic policy goals and agendas. Roosevelt, however, had lots of charisma, that helped get lots of Democrats elected to congress and get lots of liberal legislation enacted. Truman on the other hand faced a head wind that increased with each year of his presidency. If Truman had had Roosevelt's charisma, we'd have had a half century of universal health care insurance by now. Nothing frightens a Republican more than a charismatic liberal leader.

Given the complete failure of the Bush administration, and the emerging evidence of Obama's competency, on many many levels, his achievements as President may some day tower over even Bill Clinton's. That would make the Bush years look truly like a crater in our political history - and perhaps complete damnation of the movements he represents: Neocons and Movement conservativism. As Rodney Dangerfield once said, if you want to look skinny, stand next to someone fatter than you. No wonder Rush Limbaugh is advocating for Hillary Clinton.

The problem with the chastisement of Obama, is the more you look into whatever accusations they make, the more you find that there is not any there therr in regard to those accusations, and the more you end up respecting Obama.

I didn't initially come at Obama with respect I have for him today. But the more I looked at the dispersions cast his way, the more I respected him and disrespected his detractors. In fact, everything is usually the reverse of the accusation: Obama's campaign didn't give Canadian officials a wink about NAFTA, Hillary's did; Obama's not a Muslim, he's a Christian; "White" folks that attend Trinity have found it to be a wonderful, if not model, religious community; Obama's not a great messenger with no substance, he's a great messenger with much substance, etc...

I was originally an Edwards guy. I voted for him on Super-Tuesday even after he bailed out. The dispersions that the Clinton campaigned cast on Obama, with me, caused the opposite effect intended, once I looked into those dispersions. And all along, Obama has kept his cool. That's a good thing, because things will be plenty messed up by the time he gets to the White House.